Textile sleeve with adhesive fixation layer and methods of construction and use thereof

ABSTRACT

A protective textile sleeve for providing protection to an elongate member contained therein; a method of construction thereof, and a method of bonding at least a portion of the sleeve to at least one of itself and an elongate member extending through a cavity thereof is provided. The sleeve has a wall of interlaced yarn, with the wall having an outermost surface and an innermost surface. The innermost surface is configured to bound a cavity extending between opposite open ends. The sleeve further includes an adhesive coating bonded to at least a portion of at least one of the outermost and innermost surfaces. The adhesive coating has a first, dried non-adhesive state and a second, wetted adhesive state, wherein the second adhesive state is activated via application of a water-based liquid thereto.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This U.S. Divisional Application claims the benefit of U.S. Utilityapplication Ser. No. 14/863,201, filed Sep. 23, 2015 and U.S.Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/054,797, filed Sep. 24, 2014, bothof which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Technical Field

This invention relates generally to protective textile sleeves forproviding protection to elongate members contained therein, and moreparticularly to protective textile sleeves having an adhesive mechanismfor fixing a portion of the sleeve to itself and/or to an elongatemember extending therethrough.

2. Related Art

Protective textile sleeves for providing protection to elongate membersextending therethrough are known. Typically, the protective sleeves areformed having one of a tubular wall having a circumferentiallycontinuous wall, or a wrappable wall having opposite lengthwiseextending edges configured to be wrapped into overlapping relation withone another. Depending on the type of aforementioned wall and end use, aportion of the sleeve can be fixed to itself or the elongate memberextending therethrough via separately applied wrapped tape or glueapplied during installation. The use of tape to secure the sleeve inplace has various drawbacks, as it is costly from a material and laborstandpoint, and it can also prove unsightly if not applied correctly.Further, the externally applied tape must be readily available duringinstallation of the sleeve, otherwise the assembly process can bedelayed, and further yet, the tape can become inadvertently damaged orineffectively applied during assembly, such as by being inadvertentlyfolded on itself or contaminated via dirty surroundings or hands duringapplication, thus, adversely affecting the ability of the tape toreliably fix the sleeve as intended. The application of separatelyapplied glue during assembly is also costly from a material and laborstandpoint, and further requires being readily available during assemblyof the sleeve, and can further add cost as a result of the need toprovide drying time for the glue. In addition, glue lacks strength iselevated temperatures, and can prove messy in application, therebyleading to further cost associated with damage, repair and the necessaryclean-up thereof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a protective textilesleeve for providing protection to an elongate member contained thereinis provided. The sleeve has a wall of interlaced yarn, with the wallhaving an outermost surface and an innermost surface. The innermostsurface is configured to bound a cavity extending between opposite openends. The sleeve further includes an adhesive coating bonded to at leasta portion of at least one of the outermost and innermost surfaces. Theadhesive coating has a first, dried non-adhesive state and a second,wetted adhesive state, wherein the second adhesive state is activatedvia application of a water-based liquid thereto.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the innermostsurface of the wall can be entirely covered by the adhesive coating,thereby facilitating bonding the sleeve to both itself to maintain thesleeve in a wrapped configuration, and also to the elongate memberextending through the sleeve to prevent relative movement between thesleeve and the elongate member.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the wall can beformed as a circumferentially continuous wall.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the wall can beformed having opposite edges extending lengthwise between the oppositeends of the sleeve, wherein the opposite edges are configured to bewrapped into overlapping relation with one another.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the opposite edgescan be bonded in overlapping relation with one another with thewater-based adhesive coating.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, at least a portionof the innermost surface of the wall can be free of the water-basedadhesive coating, thereby reducing the amount of adhesive coating used,which in turn reduces cost, and further allows the adhesive coating tobe selective applied to only areas requiring bonding while allowingremaining areas to remain unbonded.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the water-basedadhesive coating can be bonded to the innermost surface adjacent andalong the opposite ends.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the water-basedadhesive coating can be bonded to the innermost surface along at leastone of the opposite edges to facilitate bonding the opposite edges inoverlapping relation with one another.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the water-basedadhesive coating can be bonded to the innermost surface along each ofthe opposite edges to facilitate bonding one of the edges to theelongate member and to facilitate bonding the opposite edges inoverlapping relation with one another.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the water-basedadhesive coating is activatable with straight water.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method ofconstructing a textile protective sleeve is provided. The methodincludes interlacing yarn to form a wall having an innermost andoutermost surface extending between opposite open ends; bonding awater-activatable adhesive coating to at least a portion of at least onethe innermost and the outermost surfaces; and drying the adhesivecoating to render the adhesive coating in a first, non-adhesive state,wherein the adhesive coating can be selectively activated viaapplication of water thereto to bring the adhesive coating to a second,adhesive state for bonding to at least one of the wall and an elongatemember extending through a cavity of the wall.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method of bondingat least a portion of a textile sleeve to at least one of itself and anelongate member extending through a cavity of the sleeve, wherein thetextile sleeve has a wall of interlaced yarn forming an innermost andoutermost surface extending between opposite open ends and further has adry adhesive coating on at least a portion of at least one of theinnermost and outermost surface is provided. The method includes wettingthe dry adhesive coating with water; and pressing the wetted adhesivecoating into abutment with at least one of the innermost surface, theoutermost surface and the elongate member and causing the adhesivecoating to bond to the surface that it abuts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will become more readily appreciated when considered inconnection with the following detailed description of presentlypreferred embodiments and best mode, appended claims and accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a textile sleeve constructed inaccordance with one aspect of the invention with an elongate memberextending therethrough;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an innermost surface of the wall of the textilesleeve of FIG. 1 constructed in accordance with one aspect of theinvention;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of an innermost surface of the wall of the textilesleeve of FIG. 1 constructed in accordance with another aspect of theinvention;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of an innermost surface of the wall of the textilesleeve of FIG. 1 constructed in accordance with another aspect of theinvention;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of an innermost surface of the wall of the textilesleeve of FIG. 1 constructed in accordance with another aspect of theinvention;

FIG. 6 is a partially broken away plan view of an innermost surface ofthe wall of the textile sleeve of FIG. 1 constructed in accordance withanother aspect of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of an innermost surface of the wall of the textilesleeve of FIG. 1 constructed in accordance with another aspect of theinvention;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of an innermost surface of the wall of the textilesleeve of FIG. 1 constructed in accordance with another aspect of theinvention;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of an innermost surface of the wall of the textilesleeve of FIG. 1 constructed in accordance with another aspect of theinvention;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a textile sleeve constructed inaccordance with yet another aspect of the invention fixed to an elongatemember extending therethrough;

FIG. 11 is a partial perspective view of the sleeve of FIG. 10constructed in accordance with one aspect of the invention;

FIG. 12 is a partial perspective view of the sleeve of FIG. 10constructed in accordance with another aspect of the invention;

FIG. 13A is a coating formulation in accordance with one presentlypreferred embodiment; and

FIG. 13B is a coating formulation in accordance with another presentlypreferred embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring in more detail to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a textilesleeve constructed in accordance with one aspect of the invention, shownas a wrappable sleeve, by way of example and without limitation, andreferred to hereafter as sleeve 10. The sleeve 10 has a wrappable wall12, such as a self-wrapping elongate wall that automatically curls intoits wrapped configuration absent some externally applied force, forrouting and protecting elongate members 14, such as a cable, wireharness, or tube, by way of example and without limitation. The elongatewall 12 has opposite inner and outer free edges 16, 17 extendinggenerally parallel to a central, longitudinal axis 18 between oppositeopen ends 19, 20, wherein the edges 16, 17 can be biased intooverlapping relation with one another in “cigarette wrapped” fashion tofully enclose the elongate member(s) 14 within a central cavity C of thesleeve 10. The wall 12 has an innermost face or surface, also referredto as inner surface 21, and an outermost face or surface, also referredto as outer surface 23, wherein the cavity C is bounded by the innermostsurface 21 and is readily accessible along the full length of thelongitudinal axis 18 so that the elongate member(s) 14 can be readilydisposed radially into the cavity C, and conversely, removed from thecavity C, such as during service. To adhere and fix the wall 12 toitself to maintain the wall 12 in its closed, wrapped configurationand/or to the elongate member 14 to prevent relative movement betweenthe wall 12 and the elongate member 14, and further, to facilitatepreventing end fray of the opposite ends 19, 20, such as during coldcutting in manufacture and also during in use, the wall 12 has anadhesive coating layer, referred to hereafter as adhesive coating 22,bonded to at least a portion of at least one of the innermost surface 21and the outermost surface 23. The adhesive coating 22 has a first, driednon-adhesive state upon first being applied to the wall 12 andsubsequently dried, and a second, wetted adhesive state, wherein thesecond adhesive state is activated at a chosen time and location viaapplication of a suitable water-based liquid thereto, and preferablystraight water.

Depending on the application needs, the wall 12 can be constructedhaving any suitable size, including length and diameter. Further, thewall 12 can be formed of interlaced yarn using any desired interlacingprocess, such as braiding, weaving or knitting. If the wall 12 is formedas a self-wrapping wall, at least some of the weft-wise,circumferentially extending yarn, whether multifilament and/ormonofilament, can be provided as any suitable heat-settable polymericmaterial, such as polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) orpolyethyleneterephthalate (PET), for example.

To apply the mixture of the coating 22 to the wall 12, the mixture canbe first formed as a pre-formed solid sheet of the coating 22 fabricatedfrom the mixture, whereupon the solid sheet of the coating 22 can besubsequently laminated to the innermost surface 21 of the wall 12.Otherwise, the coating 22 of the mixture can be applied as a lowviscosity coating formulation (FIG. 13A) or high viscosity coatingformulation (FIG. 13B), such as via a spraying, rolling or dippingprocesses, by way of example and without limitation, directly on thedesired area of the innermost and/or outermost surfaces 21, 23. Ofcourse, it should be recognized the coating 22 can be applied to theentirety of the wall 12, if desired. When relative movement between thesleeve 10 and the elongate member 14 is to be prevented, the mixture ofthe coating 22 is applied and bonded to at least a portion of theinnermost surface 21 that abuts directly against the elongate member 14,thereby providing the ability to bond the adhesive coating 22 to anouter surface 25 of the elongate member 14.

Upon applying, bonding, and drying the coating 22 to the desired areasof the wall 12, the wall 12 can be subsequently heat-set into aself-wrapping wall and/or wrapped about the elongate member 14.Otherwise, it should be recognized that the wall 12 can first beheat-set into a self-wrapping wall and then the wall 12 can be sprayed,dipped or otherwise coated with mixture of coating 22 in the desiredareas. It should be recognized that upon the coating 22 being applied tothe wall 12, the coating 22 attains its first, non-adhesive state uponbeing dried, and then, when desired, including after storing ininventory and/or shipping to the desired location where the sleeve 10 isto be disposed about the elongate member 14, the coating 22 can beselectively activated via application of a suitable liquid thereto,including water with the coating of FIGS. 13A and 13B. If the coating 22is only applied to the ends 19, 20, the wall 12 can be bent in to agenerally U-shaped configuration, and the ends 19, 20 can be dipped intoa water-based liquid to activate the coating 22 on the ends 19, 20 forbonding to the elongate member 14 and/or to itself. Otherwise, thewater-based liquid can be applied via any suitable mechanism, includingbrushing, dipping, spraying, or otherwise.

In FIG. 2, one embodiment of the wall 10 is shown, wherein the coating22 is applied along one of the edges, shown as being the outer edge 17,such that upon wrapping the wall 12 about the elongate member 14, thecoating 22 can be bonded to the outer surface 23 of the wall 12 to fixthe opposite edges 16, 17 in overlapping relation with one another. Inthe embodiment of FIG. 2, the wall 12 can be heat-set, as discussedabove, or, given the coating 22 bonds the opposite edges 16, 17 inoverlapping relation with one another, the “as manufactured and assupplied” wall 12 can remain substantially flat and non-heat-set.

In FIG. 3, another embodiment of a wall 112 is shown, wherein the samereference numerals as used above, offset by a factor of 100, are used toidentify like features. The wall 112 has a coating 122 applied similarlyas discussed above for the wall 12 of FIG. 2, however, the coating 122,in addition to extending along one of the edges, shown as the outer edge17, the coating 122 is applied over a region R of the inner surface 21that abuts the outer surface 25 of the elongate member 14 upon wrappingthe wall 112 about the elongate member 14. As such, upon activating thecoating 122, the coating 122 can be bonded to the outer surface 23 ofthe wall 112 to fix the opposite edges 16, 17 in overlapping relationwith one another and also to the outer surface 25 of the elongate member14 to bond the wall 112 to the elongate member 14 and fix the wall 112against relative movement with the elongate member 14. As with theembodiment of FIG. 2, the wall 112 can be heat-set, as discussed above,or, given the coating 122 bonds the opposite edges 16, 17 in overlappingrelation with one another, the “as manufactured and as supplied” wall112 can remain substantially flat and non-heat-set.

In FIG. 4, another embodiment of a wall 212 is shown, wherein the samereference numerals as used above, offset by a factor of 200, are used toidentify like features. The wall 212 has a coating 222 applied to extendalong the opposite ends 19, 20, shown as extending along the entirety ofthe opposite ends 19, 20, with an intermediate region IR extendingbetween the ends 19, 20 remaining free of the coating 222. As such, uponactivating the coating 222, the coating 222 adjacent the outer edge 17can be bonded to the outer surface 23 adjacent the opposite ends 19, 20of the wall 212 to fix the opposite edges 16, 17 in overlapping relationwith one another and the coating 222 adjacent the inner edge 16 can bebonded to the outer surface 25 of the elongate member 14 to bond thewall 212 to the elongate member 14 and fix the wall 212 against relativemovement with the elongate member 14. As with the embodiment of FIG. 2,the wall 212 can be heat-set, as discussed above, or, given the coating222 bonds the opposite edges 16, 17 in overlapping relation with oneanother, the “as manufactured and as supplied” wall 212 can remainsubstantially flat and non-heat-set.

In FIG. 5, another embodiment of a wall 312 is shown, wherein the samereference numerals as used above, offset by a factor of 300, are used toidentify like features. The wall 312 has a coating 322 applied similarlyas discussed above for the walls 12, 212 of FIGS. 2 and 4, however, thecoating 322 is applied to extend along both of the inner and outer edges16, 17 as well as along both of the opposite ends 19, 20, leaving only abounded central region CR of the inner surface 21 uncoated. As such,upon activating the coating 322, the coating 322 extending along theouter edge 17 can be bonded to the outer surface 23 of the wall 312along the full length of the wall 312 to bond and fix the opposite edges16, 17 in overlapping relation with one another and also the coating 322extending along the inner edge 16 and opposite ends 19, 20 can be bondedto the outer surface 25 of the elongate member 14 to bond the wall 312to the elongate member 14 and fix the wall 312 against relative movementwith the elongate member 14. As with the embodiment of FIG. 2, the wall312 can be heat-set, as discussed above, or, given the coating 322 bondsthe opposite edges 16, 17 in overlapping relation with one another, the“as manufactured and as supplied” wall 312 can remain substantially flatand non-heat-set.

In FIG. 6, another embodiment of a wall 412 is shown, wherein the samereference numerals as used above, offset by a factor of 400, are used toidentify like features. The wall 412 has a coating 422 applied similarlyas discussed above, however, the coating 422 is applied to the entiretyof the inner surface 21, and can be applied to cover the entirety of theouter surface 23, if desired. As such, upon activating the coating 422,the coating 422 extending adjacent the outer edge 17 can be bonded tothe outer surface 23 of the wall 412 along the full length of the wall412 to bond and fix the opposite edges 16, 17 in overlapping relationwith one another and also the coating 422 extending over the entirety ofthe remaining portion of the wall 412 that comes into direct contactwith the elongate member 14 can be bonded to the outer surface 25 of theelongate member 14 to bond the wall 412 to the elongate member 14 andfix the wall 412 against relative movement with the elongate member 14.As with the embodiment of FIG. 2, the wall 112 can be heat-set, asdiscussed above, or, given the coating 422 bonds the opposite edges 16,17 in overlapping relation with one another, the “as manufactured and assupplied” wall 412 can remain substantially flat and non-heat-set.

In FIG. 7, another embodiment of a wall 512 is shown, wherein the samereference numerals as used above, offset by a factor of 500, are used toidentify like features. The wall 512 has a coating 522 applied similarlyas discussed above for the wall 12 of FIG. 2, however, rather than thecoating 522 extending along the outer edge 17, the coating 522 isapplied to extend along the inner edge 16 that abuts the outer surface25 of the elongate member 14 upon wrapping the wall 512 about theelongate member 14. As such, upon activating the coating 522, thecoating 522 can be bonded to the outer surface 25 of the elongate member14 to bond the wall 512 to the elongate member 14 and fix the wall 512against relative movement with the elongate member 14, and then the wall512 can be wrapped about the elongate member 14 and fixed thereabout, asdesired. As with the embodiment of FIG. 2, to facilitate maintaining thewall 512 in its wrapped configuration about the elongate member 14, thewall 512 can be heat-set to automatically bias the opposite edges 16, 17into overlapping relation with one another.

In FIG. 8, another embodiment of a wall 612 is shown, wherein the samereference numerals as used above, offset by a factor of 600, are used toidentify like features. The wall 612 has a coating 622 applied similarlyas discussed above for the wall 512 of FIG. 7, however, in addition tothe coating 622 extending along the inner edge 16, the coating 622 isapplied to extend along the opposite ends 19, 20. As such, uponactivating the coating 622, the coating 622 extending along the inneredge 16, as well as a portion of the coating 622 extending along theopposite ends 19, 20 can be bonded to the outer surface 25 of theelongate member 14 to bond the wall 612 to the elongate member 14 andfix the wall 612 against relative movement with the elongate member 14.Further, the region of the coating 622 overlapping the outer surface 23,upon bringing the opposite edges 16, 17 into overlapping relation withone another, can be bonded to the outer surface 23 to bond and fix theopposite edges 16, 17 in overlapping relation with one another. As withthe embodiment of FIG. 2, to facilitate maintaining the wall 612 in itswrapped configuration about the elongate member 14, the wall 612 can beheat-set to automatically bias the opposite edges 16, 17 intooverlapping relation with one another.

In FIG. 9, another embodiment of a wall 712 is shown, wherein the samereference numerals as used above, offset by a factor of 700, are used toidentify like features. The wall 712 has a coating 722 applied similarlyas discussed above for the wall 612 of FIG. 8, however, rather than thecoating 722 extending along the inner edge 16, the coating extends alongthe outer edge 17, and as with the wall 612, the coating 722 is appliedto extend along the opposite ends 19, 20. As such, upon activating thecoating 722, at least a portion of the coating 722 extending along theopposite ends 19, 20 can be bonded to the outer surface 25 of theelongate member 14 to bond the wall 712 to the elongate member 14 andfix the wall 712 against relative movement with the elongate member 14.Further, the coating 722 extending along the outer edge 17, uponbringing the opposite edges 16, 17 into overlapping relation with oneanother, can be bonded to the outer surface 23 to bond and fix theopposite edges 16, 17 in overlapping relation with one another. As withthe embodiment of FIG. 2, to facilitate maintaining the wall 712 in itswrapped configuration about the elongate member 14, the wall 712 can beheat-set to automatically bias the opposite edges 16, 17 intooverlapping relation with one another.

FIG. 10 illustrates yet another embodiment of a textile sleeve 810constructed in accordance with one aspect of the invention, wherein thesame reference numerals as used above, offset by a factor of 800, areused to identify like features. The sleeve 810 has a circumferentiallycontinuous tubular, edgeless wall 812 with an inner surface 21 boundinga cavity C in which an elongate member 14 is received and protected. Asbest shown in FIG. 11, the wall 812 has a coating 822 applied similarlyas discussed above, wherein the coating 822 is shown as being applied tothe inner surface 21 of the wall 812. As such, upon activating thecoating 822, the elongate member 14 can be disposed within the cavity Cand the coating 822 can be compressed into abutment with the outersurface 25 of the elongate member 14 to bond therewith, to bond the wall812 to the elongate member 14 and fix the wall 812 against relativemovement with the elongate member 14. It should be recognized that thecoating 822 can be applied to cover the entirety of the inner surface21, such as by pouting the water-based liquid coating materialthroughout the cavity C, or at least the end portions thereof adjacentopposite ends 19, 20 of the wall 812. Accordingly, not only does thecoating 822 allow the wall 812 to be bonded with the elongate member 14,but it also acts to eliminate end fray when cutting the desired lengthof the sleeve 810 by bonding the filaments used to construct the wall812 with one another. It should be recognized that all the embodimentsdiscussed, having the coating along the opposite ends, facilitate thereduction of end fray during a cold-cutting operation.

As shown in FIG. 12, application of the coating 822 to the wall 812 caninclude dipping opposite ends 19, 20 of the wall 812 in a meltedsolution of the coating material and then allowing the dipped ends 19,20 to dry and solidify, thereby forming the dry coating 822 on the endregions ER of the sleeve 810, with an intermediate region IR remainingfree of the coating. Of course, if the ends 19, 20 are dipped, then anouter surface 23 of the wall 812 is also coated adjacent the oppositeends 19, 20, which further facilitates the prevention of end fray whilecutting the wall 812. Of course, if desired, the entire wall 812 couldbe dipped in a solution of the coating material, thereby applying thecoating 822 over the entire innermost and outer surfaces 21, 23 of thewall 812.

Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possiblein light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood thatthe invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described,and that the scope of the invention is defined by any ultimately allowedclaims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of constructing a textile protectivesleeve, including: interlacing yarn to form a wall having opposite edgesextending lengthwise between the opposite ends, said wall having aninnermost surface and an outermost surface extending between saidopposite ends, said opposite edges being configured to overlap oneanother to form a cavity bounded by said innermost surface; bonding awater-activatable adhesive coating along only one of said opposite edgesand along both of said opposite ends with a region extending betweensaid opposite edges and said opposite ends being free of said adhesivecoating; and drying said adhesive coating to render said adhesivecoating in a first, non-adhesive state, wherein said adhesive coatingcan be activated to a second, adhesive state by applying water thereto.2. The method of claim 1 further including heat-setting the wall to biasthe opposite edges into overlapping relation with one another.